1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a disk loading device, and more particularly, to a disk loading device in which a first arm used to insert a disk into a frame of the disk loading device and a second arm used to eject the disk from the frame of the disk loading device both rotate through a plane parallel to a direction of movement of the disk during loading and unloading operations, that is, in a substantially horizontal direction, resulting in a disk loading device that is slimmer than that obtainable with the conventional art.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional disk loading device employs rollers above and below a path transited by a disk being loaded into an apparatus, the rollers traversing the disk in the process of operation. When an operator inserts a disk into a disk insertion slot located on a front panel of an apparatus, the disk is sandwiched between the upper and lower roller pair, the rollers revolve and the disk is automatically drawn into the interior of the apparatus and loaded atop a turntable. When no longer needed the disk is grasped by the upper and lower roller pair, the rollers again rotate and the disk is ejected from the disk insertion slot located on the front of the apparatus.
As the apparatuses that employ disk drive units become more compact, the need for compact, slim disk loading devices has grown accordingly. However, in a conventional disk loading device such as that described above, the positioning of the rollers above and below the path transited by the disk during loading an unloading limits the extent to which the disk loading device can be made slimmer, which is undesirable.
Additionally, one of the two rollers necessarily contacts a recording surface of the disk, occasionally resulting in damage to that recording surface. Moreover, the movement of the disk depends on friction between the disk and the rollers, so if the rollers are worn then the movement of the disk becomes uncertain.
Additionally, the conventional disk loading device employs a clamp release mechanism that separates a clamper from the turntable so as to separate the disk from the turntable. Such a mechanism uses an arm positioned so as to rotate through a plane vertical to an underside surface of a cover panel of the disk loading device in such a way as to support the clamper at a position opposite the turntable. As the arm rotates perpendicular to the cover panel of the disk loading device the disk is alternately clamped to and separated from the turntable.
As may be appreciated, however, the very fact that this type of conventional clamp release mechanism rotates in a direction perpendicular to the cover panel of the disk loading device further complicates any effort to make the disk loading device slimmer.
Additionally, the conventional disk loading device operates up to a predetermined position in a direction calculated to eject the disk from the apparatus, in such a way that a proximal edge of the disk in the direction of the interior of the apparatus is supported by the disk loading device while at the same time the disk is projecting distally by a certain amount from the insertion slot located on the front panel of the apparatus. Such a disposition is inherently unstable, and becomes more so as wear on the internal parts of the disk loading device advances. In order to counteract such instability it is sometimes necessary to readjust the final position of the disk unloading operation of the disk loading device, which is inconvenient.
Additionally, in its state of partial projection from the disk insertion slot located on the front panel of the apparatus it is necessary to grasp the disk on both upper and lower surfaces thereof, including the recording surface. Improper handling can cause fingerprints, dust and so forth to adhere to the recording surface, in the worst case causing damage to the recording surface of the disk.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved and useful disk loading device in which the above-described drawbacks and disadvantages are eliminated.
Another, further and more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved and useful disk loading device in which a first arm and a second arm both rotate through a plane parallel to a direction of movement of the disk during loading and unloading operations, that is, in a substantially horizontal direction.
The above-described object of the present invention is achieved by a disk loading device for loading a disk into a disk loading device frame and unloading the inserted disk from the disk loading device frame, the disk loading device comprising:
a first arm having a contacting part for contacting an edge of the disk in a direction of insertion of the disk and moving through a first plane parallel to a plane of movement of the disk;
a second arm having a contacting part for contacting an edge of the disk in a direction opposite the direction of insertion of the disk and moving through a second plane parallel to the plane of movement of the disk;
a motor that rotates the first arm and the second arm; and
a control mechanism that causes the motor to rotate the second arm so that the contacting part of the second arm pushes the disk into the disk loading device when the disk is manually partially inserted in the disk loading device during a loading operation, and causes the motor to rotate the second arm so that the contacting part of the second arm pushes the disk out from the disk loading device during an unloading operation.
According to this aspect of the invention, the disk loading device can be made slimmer than is possible with the conventional art because the need for upper and lower rollers above and below the path of the disk for loading and unloading of the disk is eliminated.